Nicky Maynard

Nicholas David Maynard (born 11 December 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Macclesfield. Born in Winsford, Cheshire, Maynard spent a year as a schoolboy with Arsenal.

Crewe Alexandra He then joined Crewe Alexandra's academy, famous for producing players such as Danny Murphy, Rob Hulse and Dean Ashton, at the age of seven. He then represented Crewe at every age group level and scored 27 goals in one season at Under–18s level. As a reward for his form in the youth team, Maynard was offered his first professional contract of his career in the summer of 2005.

During the 2005–06 season, Maynard was loaned out to Witton Albion in January 2006. Maynard made a big impression at the non-league side, helping them to their most successful run of the season in the Northern Premier League. After returning to Crewe, Maynard continued to show fine form in the reserves side; before the end of the season, he made his Crewe début as a substitute for Michael Higdon in a 4–2 win over Millwall. He scored with his first touch in professional football, in front of scouts representing 20 different clubs, after Michael O'Connor's shot hit the post; Eddie Johnson, Luke Varney and Steve Jones scored the other Crewe goals.

With players such as Steve Jones leaving relegated Crewe (for Championship side Burnley), it seemed likely that Maynard would become a regular starter for Crewe during the 2006–07 season, However, new signings such as Ryan Lowe and the return of former player Rodney Jack gave Maynard competition for a place in the first eleven. Maynard performed well in his second year of professional football, forming a productive goal-scoring partnership with Varney, with a total of 33 League One goals between them. During his first full season, Maynard also picked up the "Player of the Month" award for September.

With Luke Varney a £2m transfer to Charlton Athletic, Maynard was seen as Crewe's most likely goalscoring threat for the 2007-2008 season. But his second full season was brought to a standstill for four months after he suffered a bone fracture of his fibula and also damaged his ankle ligaments during the club's season opener against Brighton and Hove Albion. In an interview with FourFourTwo magazine, Maynard admitted that he had "broke down a few times" during his four months of rehabilitation, although he would later recover and return to fitness. He was a non-used substitute in an away match against Nottingham Forest before playing the second 45 minutes of the FA cup tie versus Oldham Athletic in December.